Leveling and grading instrument.



L. T. HULL. LEVELING AND GRADING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED I'EB.11, 1910. 971,752.,

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L. T. HULL. LEVELING AND GRADING INSTRUMENT.

APPLIUATION FILED FEB.11, 1910.

' Patented Oct. 4, 1910,

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UNT STATES PATENT @FFEQE.

LORAIN '1. HULL, OF ADA, OHIO.

LEVELING AND GRADING INSTRUMENT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoRAIN T. HULL, residing at Ada, in the county of Hardin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Leveling and Grading Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved leveling and grading instrument which generically has for its object to provide an instrument of this character that can be easily and cheaply manufactured and which will be of strong durable construction and accurate in its operation.

More specifically the invention resides in providing a support or frame in the form of a right angle to which a level is pivoted and which removably carries a curved segment plate that is graduated on one side in divisions representing grade per foot and grade per rod, and on the other side the segment is graduated in divisions representing yards and ten foot intervals; a hinged arm assists in supporting the level in its various adjusted positions on the support and has means for clamping t0 the are or curved segment to retain the arm and level in its set positions, the arm having indicating pointers to cooperate with the graduations or scales on the are or curved segment.

In its more specific nature the invention also includes those novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all ofwhich will be first fully described,

then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a perspective view of my invention in use. Fig. 2, is an enlarged side elevation of the same. Fig. 3, is a similar view of the opposite side. Fig. 4, is a cross section on the line H of Fig. 3. Fig. 5, is an enlarged detail view of a part of the invention. Fig. 6, is a detail perspective view of a tripod to be used in lieu of the members 8 and 7 whenever it may be found desirable.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in which like letters and numerals of reference indicate like parts in all of the figures, 1 designates the supporting frame which is composed of the horizontal bar 1 and the vertical bar 1 at right angles to the bar 1*. The frame 1 carries a downwardly Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 11, 1910.

Patented Got. 4, 1910.

Serial No. 543,391.

projecting bearing member 1 which is of reduced diameter at 1 to pro ect into the socket '7 of a supporting member 7 whose lower end terminates in a ball 7 to enter the socket 8 of a standard or support 8. The bearing portion 1 is clamped to the support 7 by a thumb screw 7", as shown, and the ball 7 is clamped in its socket 8 by a thumb screw 8 that draws the halves of the socket 8* together, they being split at 8 as shown.

The support 8 is pointed at its lower end as at 8 so that itmay be driven in the ground, a ledge or projection 8 being provided on which the driving tools may be caused to operate. The post or support 8 is also graduated at S in a. suitable manner to indicate the distance to which it is driven into the ground or the height of the leveling instrument above the ground.

The horizontal bar 1 of the right angled frame is slotted at 1 to receive the pivot end of a movable arm or rod twhich is pivoted at l to the horizontal bar 1 and which has its upper or free end i adapted to engage the leveling instrument or its support, hereinafter again referred to.

The movable arm. 4 is grooved at 4 to receive the are or curved segment plate 5 and it is also provided with pointers or indicators 41 to cooperate with the scales 5 5 .,of the plate 5, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The are plate 5 is curved on a radius having its center the pivot l and is clamped at G to the bars 11 the clamp 6 being screwed at 6 to the bars 1 and 1 and at G to the are or curved segment 5. The are plate or curved segment 5 on one face is centrally divided by a line 5 above which the plate is graduated in distances representing grade per foot, while the lower part of the plate below the plate 5 is graduated in divisions representing grade per rod. On the reverse side, see Fig. 3, the plate 5 is also divided by a central line 5 and graduated at 5 to designate distances in yards, and at 5 is graduated in ten-foot intervals. A thumb screw 4 carried by the arm 4 clamps the arm 4; to the plate 5 and holds it in its adjusted position.

3 designates a level which is carried in a trough-shaped receptacle 2 that is provided with a bearing portion 2 by which it is pivoted at l to the upper end of the vertical bar 1 while the moving or swinging bar or arm -1 engages the under side of the troughshaped holder 2. The holder 2 may be provided with spring clips 2 to embrace the level 3 and hold it in place from slipping.

If desired the level 3 may be provided with a fore-sight 3 and a rear-sight 3 which may be in the nature of a field glass, or other similar device.

In lieu of the post support 8 a tripod 9 may be used where found desirable.

The usual graduated pole or rod 10 having the graduations 10 is used in connection with my invention.

In practice the parts are normally positioned as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings when a horizontal sighting is desired. By loosening the thumb screw P and moving the arm t to the left in the direction of the arrow (1 in Fig. 2, the line of sight will be depressed an amount depending upon the position of the arm ft to the left of the zero mark, which position may be read off on the scales carried by the plate 5. By moving the arm at from the position shown in Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrow Z) the line of sight will be elevated a distance indicated on the scale 5 and depending upon the position of the arm 4.

A. plumb bob 12 on a plumb line 11 is secured to the corner of the frame 1 by means of which the pivot 1 may be placed approximately over the point on the ground from which measurements are taken and by setting the depending supporting member 1 back from the corner of the frame 1 it will not interfere with the proper alining of the pivot 1 over the point X on the ground from which measurements are made.

The invention is particularly adapted for use in grading and leveling in building operations, ditching, or irrigating work, and it is thought from the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the complete construction. operation and advantages of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the artto which the invention appertains. I desire to say, however, that slight changes in the details of construction, may be readily made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

In order that the bar 1 may be leveled to bring the bar 1 absolutely perpendicular when moving the instrument from one place to another without changing the adjustment of the bar t, I provide a spirit, or other leveling device 13, on the bar 1 as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.

hat I claim is:

1. A leveling and grading instrument com prising a frame consisting of a horizontal and a vertical bar, a level pivotally mounted on said vertical bar, said horizontal bar having a slot, an arm pivoted at one end in said slot and having its other end engaging said level, an arc plate carried by said horizontal and vertical bars, said arm having a groove to receive said arc plate and means carried by said arm for securing it to said arc plate,

said are plate having graduations cooperating with said arm.

2. A leveling and grading instrument comprising a frame consisting of a horizontal and a vertical bar, a level pivotally mounted on said vertical bar, said horizontal bar having a slot, an arm pivoted at one end in said slot and having its other end engaging said level, an arc plate carried by said horizontal and vertical bars, said arm having a groove to receive said are plate, means carried by said arm for securing it to said are plate, said are plate having graduations cooperating with said arm, a projection depending from said horizontal bar having a stepped portion, and a support in which said projection is mounted.

3. A leveling and grading instrument comprising a frame consisting of a horizontal and a vertical bar, and means for supporting said frame, a channeled member pivoted to said vertical bar at its upper end, a level held in said channeled member, means for sustaining said channeled member in difierent positions of adjustment, said means comprising an arm pivoted to said horizontal bar and having its free end engaging said channeled member, a curved plate carried by said horizontal and vertical bars, and means for adjustably securing said arm to said plate.

a. In a leveling and grading instrument, a frame consisting of a horizontal and a ver tical bar, a member pivoted to the upper end of said vertical bar, an arm pivoted to said horizontal bar and having its free end engaging said pivoted member, and means for holding said arm at different angles to said horizontal bar.

5. In a leveling and grading instrument, a frame consisting of a horizontal and a vertical bar, a member pivoted to the upper end of said vertical bar, an arm pivoted to said horizontal bar and having its free end engaging said pivoted member, means for holding said arm at difierent angles to said hori zontal bar, said last named means comprising an arc plate secured to said horizontal and vertical bars, and a clamping device securing said arm to said are plate.

6. In a leveling and grading instrument, a frame consisting of a horizontal and a vertical bar, a member pivoted to the upper end of said vertical bar, an arm pivoted to said horizontal bar and having its free end engaging said pivoted member, means for holding said arm at different angles to said horizontal bar, said last named means comprising an arc plate reniovably secured to said horizontal and vertical bars, and a clamping device securing said arm to said are plate.

7. In a leveling and grading instrument, a frame consisting of a horizontal and a vertical bar, a member pivoted to the upper end of said vertical bar, an arm pivoted to said horizontal bar and having its free end engaging said pivoted member, means for holding said arm at different angles to said horizontal bar, said last named means comprising an arc plate secured to said horizontal and vertical bars, a clamping device securing said arm to said are plate, and a plumb bob carried by said frame and means for sustaining said frame in a predetermined position.

8. In a leveling and grading instrument, a frame consisting of a horizontal and a vertical bar in the form of a right angle, a member pivoted to the upper end of said vertical bar, an arm pivoted at one end to said horizontal bar, the pivot of said arm being out of vertical alinement with the pivot of said pivoted member on said vertical bar, said pivoted member resting on the free end of said arm, an arc scale plate carried by said horizontal and vertical bars to cooperate with said arm, said arm having inclicators and said scale plate having scales, and means for clamping said arm to said scale plate in its different adjustments.

9. In a leveling and grading instrument, a frame consisting of a horizontal and a vertical bar in the form of a right angle, a member pivoted to the upper end of said vertical bar, an arm pivoted at one end to said horizontal bar, the pivot of said arm being out of alinement with the pivot of said pivoted member on said vertical bar, said pivoted member resting on the free end of said arm, an arc scale plate carried by said horizontal and vertical bars to cooperate with said arm, said arm having indicators and said scale plate having scales, means for clamping said arm to said scale plate in its different adjustments, a fixed support having a socket, a ball joint member having a ball held in said socket and having itself a socket, a member depending from said horizontal bar and having a portion to enter said last named socket and means for securing said depending portion in said last named socket.

10. In a leveling and grading instrument, a frame consisting of a horizontal and a vertical bar in the form of a right angle, a member pivoted to the upper end of said vertical bar, an arm pivoted at one end to said horizontal bar, the pivot of said arm being out of vertical alinement with the pivot of said pivoted member on said vertical bar, said pivoted member resting on the free end of said arm, an arc scale plate carried by said horizontal and vertical bars to cooperate with said arm, said arm having indicators and said scale plate having scales, means for clamping said arm to said scale plate in its different adjustments, said pivoted member on the vertical bar comprising a channeled body and a level held in said channeled body.

11. In a leveling and grading instrument, a frame consisting of a horizontal and a vertical bar in the form of a right angle, a member pivoted to the upper end of said vertical bar, an arm pivoted at one end to said horizontal bar, the pivot of said arm being out of vertical alinement with the pivot of said pivoted member on said vertical bar, said pivoted member resting on the free end of said arm, an arc scale plate carried by said horizontal and vertical bars to cooperate with said arm, said arm having indicators and said scale plate having scales, means for clamping said arm to said scale plate in its different adjustments, said pivoted member on the vertical bar comprising a channeled body and a level held in said channeled body, and clips carried by said channeled body to engage said level.

12. In a leveling and grading instrument, a frame consisting of a horizontal and avertical bar in the form of a right angle, a member pivoted to the upper end of said vertical bar, an arm pivoted at one end to said horizontal bar, the pivot of said arm being out of vertical alinement with the pivot of said pivoted member on said vertical bar, said pivoted member resting on the free end of said arm, an arc scale plate carried by said horizontal and vertical bars to cooperate with said arm, said arm having indicators and said scale plate having scales, means for clamping said arm to said scale plate in its different adjustments, and sighting devices carried by said member that is pivoted on said vertical bar.

13. A leveling and grading instrument comprising a frame consisting of a horizontal and a vertical bar, a sighting member pivotally mounted on said vertical bar, an arm pivoted to said horizontal bar at one end and having its other end engaging said pivoted member, an arc plate carried by said horizontal and vertical bars, means carried by said arm to adjustably secure said arm to said are plate, said are plate having graduations cooperating with said arm, a plumb line and bob carried by said frame, a support for said frame and a leveling device mounted on said frame.

LORAIN T. HULL. Witnesses E. E. MoCoPrIN, Buss BREWER. 

